Significant efforts are specifically made to support and cushion electronic products within the packages in which they are shipped from the manufacturer through the distribution chain to the ultimate customer. Because of the relatively high expense and the vulnerability of such products, some type of protective or cushioning packaging is generally essential. Typical cushioning inserts for electronic products include molded foam plastic inserts in which the electronic product is tightly cradled, custom formed cardboard inserts which tightly hold the product, or loose cushioning materials typically made of foamed plastic.
While foamed plastic inserts and cushioning, or formed cardboard, can provide effective packaging protection for electronic products, such packaging materials add cost and bulk to the packaging. Foamed plastic inserts, in particular, add a significant amount of volume to the overall package in which the electronic product is transported to the customer, and add expense to the overall packaged product by the cost of the production of the inserts and the cost of transportation of the foamed plastic material from the manufacturer to the point at which the electronic products are packaged. Because of the relatively large volume of the foamed plastic inserts compared to their value, transportation costs significantly add to the cost of using such inserts. Alternatively, the foamed plastic inserts may be produced at the point at which they are packaged by the electronic equipment manufacturer, but with the attendant disadvantage that the equipment manufacturer must invest in packaging production equipment which may not be efficiently utilized. In addition, some foamed plastic products are not readily recycled or are not recyclable at all, and when disposed of can contribute to the rapid filling of landfills.